Traction-engine



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' TRACTION ENGINE.

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- 4Sheets-Sheet 3. J. WESTINGHOUSE, S.- MOORE & H. H. WESTINGHOUSE.

Patented Sept. 27, 18 81. S

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(No Mode-l.) J. WESTINGHOUSE, S. MOORE & H. H. WESTINGHOUSE.

TRACTION ENGINE.

Petented Sept..27,1881.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YORK, AND HERMAN H. WESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,723, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed time 21, 1881. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,JOHN WESTINGHOUSE, SPENCER MOORE, and HERMAN H. WESTINGr- HOUSE, all citizens of the United States, said end of the machine.

JOHN WESTINGHOUSE and SPENOER'MOORE residing at Scheneotady,in the county of Schenectady and State ofNewYoi-k, and HERMAN H. WESTINGHOUSE, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable engines or traction-engines; and it consists in certain novel combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described.

This invention is illustrated in the accom-, panying drawings, in which Figure l represents a side elevation, partlyin section. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line as at, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, looking in an opposite direction to Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view showing the front Fig. 5 is a plan or top View, omittin g the governor. Fig. 6 is adetail view of the belt-tightening devices. Fig. 7 is a similar View of portions of the steering-gear. Fig. 8 shows the reversing mechanism, partly in top view and partly in horizontal section. Fig.9 is atop view of the reversing-sleeve. Fig.

1 10 is a side view of the devices for retaining the reversing mechanism out of gear. Fig. 11 is a front view thereof. Fig. 12 is a cross-section on the line yy, Fig. 8, showing the stop for regulatin g the independent motion of the eccentric. Fig. 13 is a front view of the eccentric.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. The letter A designates the main shaft, mounted on the forward end or portion of the bedB, which rests on thefront or steering axle, O, at that place, and is secured to the lower portion of the boiler D at its rear end, the boiler resting on the sections E E of the rear axle, located on opposite sides thereof. The bed 13 carries also the cylinder F, whence the main shaft receives its motion, and whose chest F takes steam from the boiler through a pipe, G, while it exhausts into the smoke-stack D through a pipe, G.

The letter H design ates a counter-shaft (best wheel, J or J, and to the loose wheel J of the main shaft is connected directly the eccentric K. The wheels I I and J J are adapted to gear with each other, and when they are thrown into gear the eccentric K can be rotated independently of the main shaft by means of the loose wheels, thus changing the position of the steam-valve, and if this motion is regulated, w"

the engine can be reversed by that means. The said independent or reversing motion of the eccentric K is regulated by means of a stop,

16, consisting, in this instance, of a segment, which is secured to the eccentric and plays in a notch, 17, formed at the end of the hub I of the fixed wheel I, so that the segment comes into contact with either end of this notch, ac- 7o cording to the direction of rotation of the cocentric.

The loose wheel .l is mounted on the huh I of the fixed wheel I, and its hub J is provided with a hole for the admission of the screw 19, 7 5

whereby the wheel I is fixed to the main-shaft. On the hub J of the loose wheel J isfitted a sleeve, N, in which is formed a spiral slot, O, (best seen inFig. 9,) receiving a roller-stud,

20, which is attached to the hub, so that if a longitudinal motion is imparted to the sleeve it'acts on the loose wheel J by means of the slot to revolve the wheel, and thus reverse the engine. A portion of this reversing-sleeve N embraces the counter-shaft H, and the latter is provided with a feather, 21, whereby the sleeve is keyed thereto and guided in its longitudinal movement. \Vhen the sleeve'N has completed its movement and the eccentric K has been set by the loose wheels J J, the parts 0 are held against a return movement by means of the fixed wheels I I, because these wheels allow the counter-shaft H to turn only with the main shaft, while the sleeve N can turn only with the counter-shaft, and the loose wheels J J only with the sleeve. The eccentric K is provided with a recess, K, in one side thereof for the introduction of a screw, K whereby the eccentric may be fixed to the main shaft, if

desirable. (oo

. rod on the reversing-sleeve.

The reversing-sleeve N acts on the loose wheel J, movin g in both directions-namely, toward and from the wheel; and for the purpose of imparting to the sleeve a reciprocating motion it is connected to one end of a rod, 22, which is bifurcated at that place and extends rearward toward the boiler D, where it is connected to an arm, 23, on a rock-shaft, P, which is provided with a second arm, 24, having connected thereto one end of a sliding handle, 25, which extends alongside of and pastthe boiler, so that by pushing or pulling this handle it acts on the rock-shaft, and thence through the The means used, however, for operating the reversing -sleeve depends on the nature of the engine to which the whole is applied.

The counter-shaft H is so arranged in its bearings that it is capable of sufficient longitudinal motion to throw the wheels I J out of gear with the wheels I J, or vice versa, this motion being imparted thereto by the same means used for operating the reversing-sleeve N-that is to say, when the sleeve has completed its movement in either direction, either end of the slot 0 strikes the roller-stud 20, and causes the loose wheel J to share the motion of the sleeve, while this wheel in turn acts on the counter-shaft through a collar, 26, Fig. 8,

in one direction, and the fixed wheel I in the other direction. Said shaft H is retained in the desired position by means of a catch, Q, which is hung to abracket, 27, forming one of thebearings for the shaft by a pivot, 28, and which is provided with hooks 29 30 at its respective ends, whereby it is adapted to engage a stopflange, 31, on the shaft. The catch Q swings on the pivot 28, but is clamped in the desired position by a thumb-nut, 32, and at or near the end having the hook 30 the catch is bent away from the bracket 27 as at-33, Fig. 10, leavin ga space between it and the bracket approximately equal to the width of the stop-flange 31. \Nhen it is desired to throw the wheels into or out of gear the catch Q is swung back to free the counter-shaft H, and when they have been thrown into gear the straight hook end 29 of the catch is swung up between the stop-flange 31 and the bracket-27, as shown, thus engaging the flange on one side thereof, while when the wheels have been thrown out of gear the catch is simply reversed, bringing its bent hook end 30 next to the other side of the flange.

To the main shaft A is fixed a driving-putley, 34, (best seen in Figs. 1 and 5,) and when the engine is to be used for supplying motive power, as to a thrashing-machine, a belt is stretched from this pulley to the required place, while when the whole is to be used for traction purposes the belt marked 35 is drawn over a pulley, 36, which is placed loosely on a shaft, R, and to which is secured a pinion, 37, also placed loosely on the shaft, whereby'the pulley is geared with a shaft, S, the latter having fixed thereto a cog-wheel, 38, to engage the pinion. The shaft S is located below the bed A, having its hearings in brackets 39, and to the opposite ends of the shaft are fixed pinions 40, whereby it is geared with the rear wheels, E, of the vehicle, making the shaft S a propelling medium. TheshaftRis mounted in slotted bearings 41, one applied to the bed B and the other to one of the brackets, 39, the slots 42 of these hearings being usually made concentric with the shaft.

To the shaft R are fixed toothed segments 43, which are located adjacent to the slotted bearings 41, and near the opposite ends of the shaft. Each of these segments engages a rack, 44, Fig. 6, formed on or secured to such bearings, respectively, these racks being concentric with the propelling-shaft S, so that if the shaft R is turned away from the main shaftA it climbs upon the racks atboth ends by means of the segments, maintaining parallelism with the shaft by its motion, increasing the distance between it and the main shaft, and tightening the belt 35, or vice versa. In this manner a tension can be put on the belt to start the vehicle from any place with the full power of the engine, the racks 44 offering a firm resistance to the climbing-shaft R, and their concentricity with the propelling-shaft S having the effect of keeping the parts in gear. A handle, T, is fixed to the climbing-shaft R, for turning it, and with this handle is combined aguide,45,Figs.1and5,consistingot'anotched segment concentric with the climbing-shaft. The handle T extends alongside of and past the boiler D, and it is provided with an eye, 46, Fig. 5, whereby it engages the segmental guide; also, with a catch, 47, which passes through the eye, engaging the notches of the guide, and which is subjected to the action of a spring, 48, for throwing it toward the guide. The shank of this catch 47 extends back to a point near the end of the handle T, and both are bent in a like direction, so that they can be taken hold of with one hand.

Opposite to the pulley 36 of the climbingshaft, in a forward direction, is located a brakeshoe, 49, which is fixed to the bed A, and if the climbing-shaft is turned in a forward direction, thus descending on the racks 44, the pulley36 approaches the brake-shoe, and can be brought into contact therewith with more orless force, so as to retard oreheck the vehicle.

The independent axles L of the rear vehiclewheels project from bolsters 50, each supporting a spring, U, which, in turn, supports a bracket, 51, secured to the boiler D, so that the springs practically support the boiler on the axles. The bracket 51 is above the respective axles, and is connected to a similar bracket, 53,below the axles, by means of the rods 54, passing through the bolsters, the lower bracket also being secured to the boiler, and both being the media supporting the brackets 39, which form the bearings for the propelling-shaft S. As the boiler D rises or sinks on the springs U the propelling-shaft S shares its motion;

and in order to avoid the danger of throwing this shaft out of gear with the rear wheels, E, in such motion, it is arranged approximately in a horizontal plane with the axles E, as shown, the shaft being thus adapted to move either up or down.

That portion of the rear wheels, E, gearing with the propelling-shaft S consists of a ring, V, which projects laterally from the wheels, respectively concentric therewith, and is provided with transverse slots 55, equidistant from each other. The slots 55 extend throughout the rings V, and it will be seen that those portions of the rings intermediate thereof form cogs,-the whole constituting open-cog wheels adapted to engage with the pinions 40 of the propell'ingshaft, while any dirt caught by the rings is allowed to escape through the slots,

and hence the rings are relieved from thedanger of being clogged.

The slotted rin gsVare constructed with lugs or cars 56, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) projecting outwardly therefrom in radial directions, and the wheels E are constructed with inwardly-projecting lugs 57.. These lugs 56 57 register with each other, and are united by bolts or other suitable means, thus firmly securing the slotted rings V to the wheels, and, inasmuch as thelugs can be readily disconnected, they allow the removal of the slotted rings-as, for example, to replace them with new ones.

0n the propelling-shaft S is placed loosely a sleeve, W, (best seen in Fig. 2,) forming a Windlass for chains, ropes, or other strands, 58, (see Figs. 1, 3, and 5,) which are connected to the forward axle, (J, on opposite sides of its center, and are so arranged that as one winds on the sleeve the other unwinds, the winding chain acting on the forward axle to steer the vehicle. The motion of the sleeve W is produced by a worm, 59, gearing with a wormwheel, 60, connected directly to the sleeve, the connection of this worm-wheel being effected by constructing both parts with segments 61, Fig.7,interlocking with each other. The worm 59 is fixed to a shaft, 62, extending rearward and upward alongside the boiler D, and having a handle, 63, at its rear end.

By the arrangement of the steering-sleeve WV on the propelling-shaft S the counter-shaft hitherto used to carry the sleeve is dispensed with.

In practice the wheel 38 of the propellingshaft is provided with compensating-gear allowing the rear or traction wheels, E, to turn independently of each other.

We do not here claim the reversing mechanism herein shown and described, as such features will constitute the subject-matter of a separate application for Letters Patent.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi l. The combination, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth, of the main shaft and its pulley, the propelling-shaft geared with the rear vehicle-wheels, the climbing-shaft, the loose pulley on the climbing-shaft adapted to congeared with the propelling-shaft, the tensionracks, and the toothed segments fixed to the climbing-shaft and engaging the racks.

sheet with the pulley of the main shaft and p,

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the climbing-shaft and its handle, of the notched segmental guide for v such handle, and the spring-catch arranged on the handle to engage the notches of the guide.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the climbing-shaft and its pulley, of the brake-shoe fixed to the machine bed or frame opposite to such pulley.

4. The wheels constructed with the laterallyprojecting concentric rings, having transverse equidistant slots or openings, forming cogs adapted to engage with the propelling-gear.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the wheels having inwardly-projecting lugs, of the slotted rings having outwardly-projecting lugs united with the lugs of the wheels.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the propelling-shaft, of the loose sleeve on such shaft, the steeringchains or their substitutes connected to the forward axle and adapted to wind on the sleeve, and the steering-gear acting on the sleeve.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

H. R. HEGEMAN, JAY WESTINGHOUSE. 

